21.10.13

JACKIE REA DIES

Jackie
Rea, who has died at the age of 92, was one of the original eight players who contested the BBC programme Pot Black in 1969, which showcased the advent of colour television in
Britain by putting snooker into living rooms across the country.

Such
was the popularity of the game that snooker was transformed from folk sport to
a multi-million pound professional enterprise, making household names of its
best players and providing endless TV drama.

It
came too late for Jackie, a popular and gregarious man, who was 48 when that
first series was broadcast, but he enjoyed a lifetime of snooker in various
roles and, for him, enjoyment was the most important part.

Rea
began playing at the age of nine in the Dungannon pub managed by his father.

After
the second world war, he won the 1947 Irish amateur title and turned
professional, winning the Irish professional championship, a title he held, bar
one defeat, until Alex Higgins beat him in 1972.

There
was never a worse time in history to be a snooker professional than the 1950s,
when support for the World Championship, built up by its original champion and
promoter, Joe Davis, dwindled following the 15 times winner’s retirement.

Rea
reached three world semi-finals and, in 1957, lost to John Pulman in the final
in Jersey, after which the event ceased.

It
was revived as a series of challenge matches in 1964 but did not go open again
until 1969. Rea reached the quarter-finals as he did again in 1970, but by now
his best years were behind him.

But
he was a popular booking on the exhibition circuit, which players relied on to
bolster often meagre on table earnings.

In
terms of patter, trick shots and general entertainment, Rea invented the type
of snooker exhibition later perfected by the likes of John Virgo and Dennis
Taylor, which were not just about players turning up and playing club members
but providing comedy and laughs, which would guarantee return bookings.

Rea
retained his professional status, pitching up at qualifiers as much for the
love of the game as any thoughts of reaching venues.

He
won the odd match here and there but was eventually relegated from the circuit
in 1990, at the age of 69.

Rea
had been something of a mentor to Alex Higgins, although they once came to
blows after the volatile Higgins insulted Rea’s wife, leading Rea to fell the
Hurricane with a well aimed punch. The two resumed their friendship soon
afterwards.

Rea
had won the 1955 News of the World tournament, worth £500, but the snooker boom
came too late for him to benefit.

In
many ways, though, he was an early trailblazer not just for snooker but for
snooker professionals: for how they could project their personalities and
characters.

His
funeral will be held in Cheadle Hume, Cheshire, where he lived for many years.

3 comments:

Excellent post again Dave. We can do no better than to acknowledge and pay tribute to those who contributed to the game in the early years.

On a side note. You'll know your own business best but, you mentioned that you were satisfied that with the introduction of the requirement to sign in to the blog, anonymous trolls were now a thing of the past. It is also very noticeable that whilst the quality of the replies may have improved, their number have fallen dramatically.Given that you would obviously maintain the right to filter replies that may be defamatory or litigious in nature, would the reintroduction of anonymous replies not make for more interesting reading and in turn would it not stimulate further interest ?